Conventionally, game apparatuses with which a player can enjoy a game by operating a character (player character) displayed on a game screen have been widely used. For example, some game apparatuses display a touch panel on a display screen for the player to operate a player character. As disclosed by, for example, Japanese Laid-Open Publication No. 2002-939 (hereinafter, referred to as “patent document 1”), the player causes a player character appearing in a game image to perform a motion by touch-operating the touch panel when necessary. Patent document 1 discloses, for example, a game with which the player touches and drags a PUSH button displayed as a game image on a touch panel to cause a player character to perform a golf swing, and a game with which the player touches a player character to cause the player character to jump. In these games, the player touches a game image via the touch panel when necessary, so that the player character performs a motion in accordance with the touched position.
According to patent document 1, only when a touch operation is performed, the game is controlled to reflect the touch operation. Namely, the player needs to perform a touch operation when wishing to control the game as he/she desires. When the player discontinues the touch operation, the game control is also discontinued.
Game apparatuses with which the player can enjoy a game by operating a player character displayed on a game screen by touch-operating the touch panel continuously for a long time, instead of when necessary, are conceivable. However, such game apparatuses have perceivable problems. One conceivable game can be played as follows. The player touches positions in a game space. A locus of points which correspond to the touched positions is created in the game space. Along the locus, another object is moved. In this game, the object moves along the locus drawn by the player in the game space. Therefore, when the locus is discontinued, the game cannot be continued.
However, the player tends to discontinue the touch operation of the touch panel (i.e., take off his/her finger or a stick from the touch panel) in order to see the game image displayed on a display screen covered with the touch panel. If the game is continuously controlled to reflect the touch operation made so far even while the touch operation is in a paused state, the player can enjoy the convenience of being able to discontinue the touch operation in accordance with the situation.
Especially in the above-described game which requires the player to continuously touch-operate the touch panel, the locus created in the game space is discontinued when the player discontinues the touch operation. In such a case, it becomes difficult to continue the game as described above. For example, when the game image is displayed by scrolling the screen at high speed in one direction, the object immediately reaches the position at which the locus is discontinued. Therefore, the game cannot be continued when the touch-operation is paused even for a short time. The games disclosed by patent document 1 are not based on the precondition that the touch panel is continuously touch-operated for a long time. Therefore, patent document 1 does not disclose any technology for solving the above-described problems.
Therefore, a feature of certain exemplary illustrative embodiments is to provide a storage medium having stored thereon a game program for allowing a game to be controlled to reflect the touch operation made so far even when the touch operation is discontinued, and a game apparatus for executing such a game program. Another feature of certain exemplary illustrative embodiments is to provide a storage medium having stored thereon a game program for allowing a game, which is based on a precondition that a touch panel is continuously touch-operated for a long time, to be continued even when the touch operation is discontinued, and a game apparatus for executing such a game program.
Certain exemplary illustrative embodiments have the following aspects to attain the features mentioned above. The reference numerals, the numbers of the steps (the term “step” is referred to simply as “S” and provided with the respective numerals) executed by the computer, and the like in parentheses in this section of the specification indicate the correspondence with the embodiments described later for easier understanding of the exemplary illustrative embodiments and do not limit the present invention in any way.
A first aspect of certain exemplary illustrative embodiments is directed to a storage medium having stored thereon a game program executable by a computer (21) of a game apparatus (1) for displaying, on a display screen (12), a game image representing at least a part of a virtual space in which a first object (P1) and a second object (P2) are present, the game apparatus including touch coordinate pair input means (15) for outputting coordinate information based on a predetermined coordinate system in accordance with a touch operation performed by a player. The game program causes the computer to execute a position data storage step (the first player object coordinate pair DC3 and the second player object coordinate pair DC5 stored on the RAM 24), a display control step (S60), a detection step (S51, S61), a first object position update step (S54 to S56), and a second object position update step (S59). The position data storage step stores, on a memory (24), first object position data (DC3) representing a position of the first object in the virtual space and second object position data (DC5) representing a position of the second object in the virtual space. The display control step displays the first object and the second object on the display screen based on the first object position data and the second object position data stored on the memory. The detection step detects an input coordinate pair (DC1) which is input by the touch coordinate pair input means. The first object position update step, while input coordinate pairs are being detected by the detection step, updates the first object position data stored on the memory based on the input coordinate pairs (S56). The second object position update step updates the second object position data, based on the first object position data stored on the memory.
In a second aspect based on the first aspect, the game program further causes the computer to execute a first object position automatic update step (S57). The first object position automatic update step further automatically updates the first object position data stored on the memory, based on a predetermined rule (movement in the X direction).
In a third aspect based on the second aspect, the game program further causes the computer to execute a display area setting data storage step (S60) and a display area update step (S60). The game apparatus displays the game image representing a part of the virtual space on the display screen. The display area setting data storage step stores, on the memory, display area setting data (DC6) for setting a display area of the virtual space to be displayed on the display screen. The display area update step automatically updates the display area setting data stored on the memory, in accordance with the update of the first object position data by the first object position automatic update step. The display control step executed by the computer displays a part of the virtual space on the display screen based on the display area setting data stored on the memory.
In a fourth aspect based on the first aspect, the game program further causes the computer to execute a locus data storage step (S58). The locus data storage step stores, on the memory, locus data (DC4) of the first object in the virtual space based on the first object position data stored on the memory. The second object position update step executed by the computer updates the second object position data based on the locus data stored on the memory by the locus data storage step.
In a fifth aspect based on the fourth aspect, the second object position update step executed by the computer updates the second object position data, such that the second object moves on a locus (L) based on the locus data stored on the memory by the locus data storage step.
In a sixth aspect based on the first aspect, the game program further causes the computer to execute a target position data storage step (S54, S55). The target position data storage step stores position data in the virtual space corresponding to the input coordinate pair detected by the detection step, the position data being stored on the memory as target position data (DC2), and when a new input coordinate pair is later detected by the detection step, updates the target position data into position data in the virtual space corresponding to the new input coordinate pair. The first object position update step executed by the computer gradually updates the first object position data such that the first object position data gradually approaches the target position data.
In a seventh aspect based on the sixth aspect, the display control step executed by the computer displays a third object (P1t) on the display screen based on the target position data stored on the memory.
In an eighth aspect based on the first aspect, the game program further causes the computer to execute an area determination step (S52). The area determination step determines whether or not the input coordinate pair detected by the detection step is within a predetermined first area (A1) of the display screen. The first object position update step executed by the computer updates the first object position data stored on the memory based on the input coordinate pair when the input coordinate pair is determined to be within the predetermined first area by the area determination step.
In a ninth aspect based on the eighth aspect, while the detection of input coordinate pairs by the detection step is continued after the input coordinate pair at the start of input is determined to be within the predetermined first area by the area determination step, the first object position update step executed by the computer updates the first object position data stored on the memory based on the input coordinate pairs.
In a tenth aspect based on the eighth aspect, the first predetermined area is an area expanding to a predetermined degree around a position at which the first object is displayed on the display screen based on the first object position data.
In an eleventh aspect based on the eighth aspect, the game program further causes the computer to execute a fourth object position data storage step, a determination step, and a fourth object-related processing step (S63). The fourth object position data storage step stores, on the memory, fourth object position data (DC7) representing a position of a fourth object (I) in the virtual space. The display control step executed by the computer displays the fourth object on the display screen based on the fourth object position data stored on the memory. The determination step, when the input coordinate pair is determined to be outside the predetermined first area by the area determination step, determines whether or not the input coordinate pair matches a display position of the fourth object. The fourth object-related processing step executes predetermined processing related to the fourth object when the input coordinate pair is determined to match the display position of the fourth object by the determination step.
In a twelfth aspect based on the second aspect, the game program further causes the computer to execute a restriction step (S53, S55). The first object position automatic update step executed by the computer updates the first object position data, such that the position of the first object on the display screen based on the first object position data stored on the memory moves in a specified direction (X direction). The restriction step restricts a post-update value of the first object position data, such that a display position of the first object on the display screen based on the first object position data after the update by the first object position update step and the first object position automatic update step is restricted within a second predetermined area (A2) of the display screen. The second predetermined area does not include a position on the display screen corresponding to an initial value of the second object position data and is set in the specified direction with respect to the position corresponding to the initial value. The second object position update step executed by the computer controls the second object position data, such that a position on the display screen corresponding to the second object position data is outside the second predetermined area.
A thirteenth aspect of certain exemplary illustrative embodiments is directed to a storage medium having stored thereon a game program executable by a computer of a game apparatus for displaying, on a display screen, a game image representing at least a part of a virtual space in which a first object (P2) is present, the game apparatus including touch coordinate pair input means for outputting coordinate information based on a predetermined coordinate system in accordance with a touch operation performed by a player. The game program causes the computer to execute a first object position data storage step, a first object display step, an indication position data storage step, a detection step, an indication position data update step, and a first object position update step. The first object position data storage step stores first object position data for determining a display position of the first object on the display screen. The first object display step displays the first object on the display screen based on the first object position data stored on the memory. The indication position data storage step stores indication position data representing an indication position on the display screen. The detection step detects an input coordinate pair which is input by the touch coordinate pair input means. The indication position data update step, when an input coordinate pair is detected by the detection step, updates the indication position data stored on the memory based on the input coordinate pair. The first object position update step updates the first object position data based on the indication position data stored on the memory, regardless of whether input coordinate pairs are being detected by the detection step or not.
In a fourteenth aspect based on the thirteenth aspect, the game program further causes the computer to execute a second object display step. The second object display step displays a second object at the indication position based on the indication position data stored on the memory.
In a fifteenth aspect based on the thirteenth aspect, the game program further causes the computer to execute an indication mark display step. The indication mark display step displays an indication mark at a coordinate pair position on the display screen corresponding to the indication position based on the indication position data stored on the memory.
A sixteenth aspect of certain exemplary illustrative embodiments is directed to a game apparatus for displaying, on a display screen, a game image representing at least a part of a virtual space in which a first object and a second object are present, the game apparatus being operable by touch coordinate pair input means for outputting coordinate information based on a predetermined coordinate system in accordance with a touch operation performed by a player. The game apparatus comprises storage means, position data storage control means, display control means, detection means, first object position update means, and second object position update means. The position data storage control means stores, on the storage means, first object position data representing a position of the first object in the virtual space and second object position data representing a position of the second object in the virtual space. The display control means displays the first object and the second object on the display screen based on the first object position data and the second object position data stored on the storage means. The detection means detects an input coordinate pair which is input by the touch coordinate pair input means and stores the input coordinate pair on the storage means. The first object position update means updates the first object position data stored on the storage means, based on the input coordinate pair stored on the storage means, regardless of whether input coordinate pairs are being detected by the detection means or not. The second object position update means updates the second object position data based on the first object position data stored on the storage means.
A seventeenth aspect of certain exemplary illustrative embodiments is directed to a game apparatus for displaying, on a display screen, a game image representing at least a part of a virtual space in which a first object is present, the game apparatus being operable by touch coordinate pair input means for outputting coordinate information based on a predetermined coordinate system in accordance with a touch operation performed by a player. The game apparatus comprises storage means, first object position data storage control means, first object display control means, indication position data storage control means, detection means, indication position data update means, and first object position update means. The first object position data storage control means stores, on the storage means, first object position data for determining a display position of the first object on the display screen. The first object display control means displays the first object on the display screen based on the first object position data stored on the storage means. The indication position data storage control means stores indication position data representing an indication position on the display screen. The detection means detects an input coordinate pair which is input by the touch coordinate pair input means. The indication position data update means, when an input coordinate pair is detected by the detection means, updates the indication position data stored on the storage means based on the input coordinate pair. The first object position update means updates the first object position data based on the indication position data stored on the storage means, regardless of whether input coordinate pairs are being detected by the detection means or not.
According to the first aspect of certain exemplary illustrative embodiments, even when the touch operation of the touch coordinate pair input means is discontinued, the second object performs a motion based on the position of the first object and therefore the game can be continued. Especially, for example, a game, based on a precondition that the touch operation is continuously performed, can be continued even if the touch operation is discontinued.
According to a second aspect of certain exemplary illustrative embodiments, the first object automatically performs a motion based on a predetermined rule. Therefore, even if the touch operation is discontinued, the first object can automatically perform a motion to continue the game.
According to the third aspect of certain exemplary illustrative embodiments, even if the touch operation is discontinued in a game in which the game images are changed one after another by the screen being scrolled based on a predetermined rule, the game can be continued.
According to the fourth and fifth aspects of certain exemplary illustrative embodiments, a game in which the movement of the first object is controlled by the touch operation performed by the player and the second object is moved based on, or along, the locus of the first object, can be continued even if the touch operation is discontinued.
According to the sixth aspect of certain exemplary illustrative embodiments, a game in which the first object is guided to approach an input coordinate pair which is input by the touch operation performed by the player is realized. The first object is not guided in sensitive response to the input coordinate pair, and a certain limitation is provided on the response velocity of the first object. Since the first object cannot be guided completely as intended by the player, the player is provided with a fun of guiding the first object.
According to the seventh aspect of certain exemplary illustrative embodiments, the position at which the first object is to guided is displayed as the third object. Therefore, the player can easily grasp the future movement of the first object.
According to the eighth and ninth aspects of certain exemplary illustrative embodiments, once a position in a predetermined range is touched, the first object can be moved by the subsequent continuous touch operation. Therefore, an operation of easily moving the first object can be realized.
According to the tenth aspect of certain exemplary illustrative embodiments, once a position in a predetermined range having the first object as the center thereof is touched, the first object can be moved by the subsequent continuous touch operation. Therefore, an operation of moving the first object in accordance with the feeling of the player can be realized.
According to the eleventh aspect of certain exemplary illustrative embodiments, an operation different from the operation of moving the first object or the second object can be easily realized. Even during such an operation, the first object and the second object can be continuously moved.
According to the twelfth aspect of certain exemplary illustrative embodiments, the range in which the player can guide the first object using the touch panel is restricted. Therefore, the main moving direction of the first object and the second object can be set to one direction.
According to the thirteenth aspect of certain exemplary illustrative embodiments, even if the touch operation is discontinued in a game in which the first object is moved based on the position thereof on the display screen, the first object performs a motion based on the stored input coordinate pair. Therefore, the game can be continued. Accordingly, a game, based on a precondition that the touch operation is continuously performed, can be continued even if the touch operation is discontinued.
According to the fourteenth or fifteenth aspect of certain exemplary illustrative embodiments, the second object or the indication mark is displayed at the indication position on the display screen. Therefore, the position indicated by the player can be made clear.
The game apparatus according to certain exemplary illustrative embodiments provides substantially the same effects as those of the storage medium having the above-described game program stored thereon.
These and other features, aspects, and advantages of certain exemplary illustrative embodiments will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.